A Mother's Love
by unlockthelore
Summary: Whether Kurama knew it or not, she would always be his mother and love him come what may.


Night swept over the Makai and though the realm was quieter, it was nowhere near silent, as even the forests stirred with creatures lying in wait to ensnare their prey while demons lurked in the shadows and thrived beneath the moon. As he shuffled toward the mouth of the den, a silver-haired kit wide-eyed and smiling, stared off into the shadows cast by the dense trees looming over him. Colorful flowers of varying shades and hues bloomed across the grass, their blossoms practically glowing with a familiar youki that called to him as he stepped further. Checking in his pouch, he counted the number of seeds that he had and pulled a blade of grass aside a cluster of sagisō.

Sharpening it to a point, he pricked the pad of his finger with it and delighted when it was sharp enough to pierce the skin. With it and a few of the others tricks he had, he'd be able to take anything in the forest no problem. Tucking it in his pouch, he took a step forward only to let out a startled yelp as something wrapped around his ankle and lifted him up in the air. Hanging upside down, he squirmed and tried to lift himself up, barely catching a glimpse of the vines winding around his ankles. Their length spanning from the floor of the den along the walls and the roof.

He grimaced. Wasn't he careful enough to bypass them on his way? They all seemed to be sleeping, curled up near the bed of vines further in the den, where the most colorful blooms glowed with muted colors and —

"And where are you off to, kit?"

He huffed, letting his arms hang. She was awake. "Mother, put me down," he whined, trying to grab hold of the vines. "I want to go hunting on my own."

He knew that he couldn't control her plants. He wasn't big enough yet nor was he strong enough. And as the vines inched backward, drawing him further into the den, he tried to kick and wiggle his way out but any loophole was quickly closed. Near the blooms that glowed a faint silver, outlining her soft smile, silver hair and warm golden eyes, the vines released him and she caught in her arms. He pouted and squirmed in her hold. The forest was stirring and he wanted to see what was out there badly. But her arms were strong despite her gentle hold and she let him twist and turn until he was sitting upright in her lap but no further.

"On your own? So soon?" She asked, her smile soft and touch feather light as she ran her fingers through his hair.

The kit pouted as he looked up at her, his ears twitching at the touch. "I can do it! You said I was getting better and I want to prove how much better I am."

She chuckles softly and cradles the back of his head. Her fingers idly working through his hair, rubbing slow circles against his scalp. "I'm sure you will, little one. But the sky is not awake just yet and little dreamers must sleep when the sky is asleep."

Another whine came from him as he squirmed to show that he was wide awake. She looked on with thinly veiled amusement, not minding as he pushed against her arms or tried to bring his legs up to leap over the side of her arm. A fine silver brow arched when his squirming worsened until he sank down in her arms, huffing.

"But I'm too excited to sleep, I want to go now."

She rolls her eyes and leans down, a low purr emanating from her throat was she nuzzles his cheek then presses a kiss against his skin. "Oh but if you go, you won't be able to hear the story of the sunstone." She says, kissing his temple when he looks up at her.

"The sunstone?" He asks, tilting his head and his squirming eases when she nuzzles him again, returning it with a slight smile of his own.

"Mhm, a treasure said to have been blessed by the goddess Amaterasu and shines brighter than the sun itself."

Shining brighter than the sun? For a second, his skepticism told him that something like that couldn't exist but his mother wasn't a liar. His eyes widened and he cuddled up to her side, looking up at her with a grin.

"I want to hear the story."

"You do?" She tilts her head, laying her hand on his head and running her fingers through his hair. "Are you sure?"

His ears twitched happily and his tail swished behind him as he nodded. "I do!"

The idea of a treasure that could shine brighter than the sun was grand enough but he couldn't imagine something well enough that he didn't know about. His mother smiled and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him closer to her.

"Alright then."

She eased back onto the bed of vines, reaching into her hair and pulling a few seeds free, flicking them against the wall where flowers bloomed upon impact. For a moment, he was transfixed on the glow. Just as the others plants outside of their den, the flowers glowed with her youki and pulsed with energy as they grew.

"A long time ago, when the realms were new, the goddess Amaterasu and the god Tsukuyomi wanted to decide who would light the realm of humans and the realm of demons."

Several of the flowers bloomed across the vines, their petals soft and plush. While his mother spoke, he stared up at her with wide eyes, unnoticing as she made quick work of the plush petals and made a pile beside her.

"The Goddess believed that humans were good and just and thus she wanted to be praised and loved by them, so she decided to them the light of the sun while Tsukuyomi would light the Makai. Tsukuyomi thought this was unfair because demons were good and just but the goddess did not agree."

One of the larger flowers with petals that were much bigger than him was carefully plucked by his mother and as she spoke, she eased him from her lap to the pile of petals and covered him with the larger one. Tucking it beneath his chin and around him before nestling beside him. He cuddled closer to her, a yawn parting his lips. Beneath the petal, he felt warm and near her side, he felt warmer. She rested her hand against the back of his head, gently running her fingers through his hair, her soft humming making it harder for him to keep his eyes open.

"Why didn't she agree?" He asked, his words stifled by another yawn.

"Most of the deities lived in the Ningenkai. Humans weren't like demons, they needed care and protection and they worshipped the deities for all they gave them. And the deities loved their prayers and worship and depended upon them for their power and standing."

She tucked her arm around him and the petal softened beneath her fingertips. He reached out and curled his fingers in her tunic, doing everything he could to stay awake to hear the end of the story.

His mother continued on as if she was unaware of the touch but her other hand rested atop his own and her thumb glided across his knuckles slowly. "Demons didn't need them as humans did, and Amaterasu told Tsukuyomi this and bid him to understand that the Ningenkai needed her light."

He furrowed his brow and shook his head. Demons weren't like humans but without the light, he couldn't see where he was when he was playing outside sometimes. It took him longer for his eyes to adjust to the dark and his mother often guided him through the denser parts of the forests.

"But Tsukuyomi was unsure," his mother said, a wistful tone to her voice as she spoke. "If we are to bathe the humans in light, Tsukuyomi said. Does that mean we must leave the demons in darkness? Is it because they do not need us that they are set aside?"

His eyes widened as she tilted her head, shaking it. Her silver hair brushed against his cheeks and he giggled while she smiled down at him, brushing her knuckles against his cheek.

"No, Amaterasu said. Demons will not be abandoned but they do not needs as humans do. She bid Tsukuyomi to understand once more but he did not. So she made him an offer. Find an objection from the Makai, one will do, and she will give it the power of her light so that the Makai will shine."

He gripped her tunic tighter and she looked down at him patiently, eyebrow raised.

"The sunstone." He said excitedly, and she tapped his nose.

"That's right." She smiled at him in the soft and knowing way that he loved, whenever he did something right or something she didn't expect. "The sunstone."

She settled beside him and pillowed her head with her arm. He thought to give her some of the petals that she made for him. They were soft and plush and made him sleepy with their scent. Just sleeping on the vines might not have been comfortable for her. He certainly found them a bit rough sometimes.

Her hand settled on his back and he listened as she continued the story, her voice reverberating off the den's walls in a hauntingly beautiful melody.

"Tsukuyomi knew that if he brought something easily breakable that Amaterasu would give it her light but refuse to do any more should it go out. So he thought to himself because he was just as clever as her, and took a stone. It was one of many but it was the one that counted."

His mother held up her hand and one of the stones that he'd collected and put in his pouch rested in her palm. Glancing down beneath the petal, he found that his pouch was missing and his mother smiled as he pouted at her. Tossing the stone up and catching it in her hand, she brought it down to rest between their heads and he found himself transfixed upon it.

"Amaterasu did as she promised and lit the stone though before its flame could go out, Tsukuyomi threw it high into the darkened sky and the light rippled across the Makai and pierced the heavens, dying the sky in a crimson red."

His eyes widened and he glanced over his shoulder at the stirring forest and the darkened sky. Tsukuyomi pierced the heavens? Truly?

He couldn't imagine throwing a stone that high and he'd certainly tried.

"Amaterasu was confused and she asked Tsukuyomi what he'd done. Tsukuyomi told her that he made the stone part of the sky and now whenever night fell, the light would be hidden in the darkness but once the darkness waned, the light would come again and demons would never know what it was like without her light."

His mother's youki wrapped around the stone and it glowed as the flowers did, silver and white outlining it. The light casting shadows on his face but the light danced in his eyes, blurry and blinding as his eyelids drooped and another yawn parted his lips.

"Amaterasu was unsure, she did not believe the demons deserved her light, but seeing how they thrived beneath the sky that Tsukuyomi created — she was impressed and swayed to believe that her light was deserving of all be they human or demon."

The stone's light dulled and his mother hid it away, likely among his belongings. She rested her arm around him and let him cuddle as close to her as possible. It was hard to keep his eyes open but he wanted to ask her more about the sunstone. What did it look like? Where did he have to go to find it? Would she liked it if he brought it to her? His hold on her tunic loosened and his eyes were impossible to keep open.

"Tsukuyomi was right," he mumbled softly. "We all deserve light."

His mother's voice was close to his ear but he felt her forehead against his own. Her arm warm around him and the gentle pulse of her youki around him. "You're right, little one. Tsukuyomi was very wise and deep down in her heart, I'm sure that Amaterasu knew it too." She pressed a kiss to his forehead, cradling him close to her. "When the sky wakes, and the light shines, know that it shines for you as well. My sweet Kurama."

Kurama smiled softly and sleep soon claimed him once again.


End file.
